WASHINGTON, DC – From Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013, at least 202 children between the ages of 1 and 14 drowned in a swimming pool or spa in the United States, according to media reports compiled by the USA Swimming Foundation. Of those, 143 of the victims were children younger than age 5.

The latest media-reported figures are consistent with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) annual Submersion Report, and show that young children and toddlers are especially vulnerable to drowning. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children 1 to 4 years of age and it is the second leading cause of death for children from 5 to 14 years old. “The time is now to turn the tide on child drownings,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “In warm weather states and indoor swim parks, pools are still open. Let’s work together to prevent drownings by putting up barriers and having eyes-on supervision of children in and around the water.”

CPSC’s national Pool Safely campaign reinforces important safety steps: fence all pools, stay close to children in the water, be alert, and teach children how to swim. Media-reported drownings show that during the summer of 2013, the following states suffered the largest number of pool and spa drownings involving children younger than 15 (figures may not account for all fatalities):

Texas (28)

Florida (24)

California (23)

Ohio (11)

New York (11)

Arizona (10)

Pennsylvania (9)

Tennessee (8)

North Carolina (8)

Louisiana (7)

Illinois (7)

The Pool Safely campaign provides information on the simple steps that parents, caregivers, and pool owners should take to ensure that children and adults stay safe in and around pools and spas:

Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your children closely around all bodies of water.

Designate a water watcher to supervise children in the pool or spa. This person should not be reading, texting, using a smart phone, or otherwise distracted.

Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.

Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.

Keep children away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings to avoid entrapments.

Ensure any pool and spa you use has drain covers that comply with federal safety standards, and, if you do not know, ask your pool service provider about safe drain covers.

The Pool Safely campaign was launched in 2010 to raise awareness about pool and spa safety, as mandated by the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. The campaign has increased its focus on populations most at risk of drowning. African American children between the ages of 5 and 19 are six times more likely to drown in pools than white and Hispanic children that age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from USA Swimming indicate that 70 percent of African American children, 60 percent of Hispanic children, and 40 percent of white children cannot swim. Children who cannot swim are more likely to drown.About Pool Safely: The Pool Safely campaign is CPSC’s national public education and information program to reduce child drownings, near-drowning and entrapment incidents in swimming pools and spas. The campaign provides education about the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act), federal legislation mandating new requirements for public pools and spas. Parents, caregivers and the media are encouraged to visit PoolSafely.gov or @PoolSafely on Twitter for vital safety information regarding the prevention of child submersions in and around pools and spas.September 5th, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 27, 2012Release #12-284 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772More than 400 deaths estimated over a five-year period Tampa FL- The danger of drowning for young children is ever present in and around the home. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 4 years-old and it takes only a few inches of water for a young child to drown. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to look for and protect against drowning risks inside and around their homes. A new CPSC report on in home drownings and non-fatal submersions (pdf) in products such as bathtubs, buckets, bath seats, toilets, and landscaping features indicates that from 2006 to 2010, there were 684 incidents involving children younger than five-years-old. This figure includes 434 fatalities (an average of 87 per year), 233 injuries, and 17 incidents with no known injuries. Eighty-two percent of the victims were younger than the age of two and 81 percent of the incidents involved bathtubs or bath related products. After pools, bathtubs are the second leading location where young children drown. CPSC's analysis of the fatalities found that 92 percent of the incidents occurred in residential settings. "Too many young children are drowning," said Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "Just as with pools, I urge parents and caregivers to childproof their home and constantly supervise young children around bathtubs, bath seats and buckets. Taking extra safety steps at home can help prevent a tragic drowning." Of the reported fatalities, 28 percent involved a lapse in supervision, such as a parent or caregiver leaving the bathroom while the child was in the bathtub to answer the phone or door, or to retrieve a towel; in 23 percent, the child was left with another child, usually older; in 10 percent, the child was found in a product outside the home, such as decorative yard equipment or a bucket; and another 3 percent were found inside the home in a bucket/container or trash basket that was being used for cleaning. CPSC's drowning prevention safety tips include:

Never leave young children alone near any water or tub or basin with fluid. Young children can drown in even small amounts of liquid.

Always keep a young child within arm's reach in a bathtub. If you must leave, take the child with you.

Don't leave a baby or young child in a bathtub under the care of another child.

Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. Toddlers are top heavy and they can fall headfirst into buckets and drown. After using a bucket, always empty and store it where young children cannot reach it. Don't leave buckets outside where they can collect rainwater.

Consider placing locks on toilet seat covers in case a young child wanders into the bathroom.

Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). It can be a lifesaver when seconds count.

Leading pool safety fencecompany Pool Guard of Tampa Bay (www.tampapoolfence.com), which specializes in selling and installing a variety of pool fencing safetysolutions, including pool safety fencing, pool safety nets, swimming pool covers, pool alarms and self-closing pool safety gates, announced today that it has earned the coveted A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau of West Florida. The Better Business Bureau bestowed the elite rating on Pool Guard of Tampa Bay in light of the company’s longstanding unblemished membership, and its perfect record for business ethics record over the past seven years.

www.atampapoolfence.com and www.poolsafetyfences.com support the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Safe Kids program. This program is designed to provide useful information and resources to help keep kids safe. Pool Guard safety fencing is listed as a water safety resource. Pool Guard fences are astm certified and meets or exceeds all requirements set forth in the Residential Pool Safety Act of 2000. Pool Fences by Pool Guard of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater can be reached at (813) 929-8729 For more information on the Safe Kids program call (813) 615-0589